Railway car construction



Aug. 17, 1954 a. MABLAND 2,636,431

RAILWAY CAR consmucuon I Filed July 20. 1950 3 sliets-sheet 1 ill v Q MN m v Q6 MIX Aug. 17, 1954 G. MADLAND RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed July 20, 1950 Q IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA lzlllrlllilrllll Aug. 17, 1954 G. MADLANQ RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION 3 sbee t ssheet' 3 Filed July 20, 1950 m/s/vv'oe- 6958/51 MQDAQND Patented Aug. 17, 1954 RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Gabriel Madland, Chicago, 111., assignor to The Youngstown Steel Door Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 20, 1950, Serial No. 174,965

6 Claims.

This invention relates to railway car construction and more particularly to side sill structure and the association thereof with car underframmg.

It is an object of this invention to provide side sill structure for railway cars which shall effectively resist stresses occurring when the cars are subjected to impact and tending to fracture the sill structure particularly adjacent to the door posts of the cars.

A further object is to provide side sill structure for railway cars which shall possess a higher section modulus than side sill structures now utilized.

A further object is to provide railway cars which shall embody side sill structure so associated with cross bearers of the car underframing as to provide a box section adjacent to the door posts of the cars.

A further object is to provide side sill structure for railway cars which within the door openings and for substantial distances beyond the door posts of the cars shall embody sections having upper edges of greater width than side sill structures now employed.

A further object is to provide sectional side sill structures for railway cars wherein the intermediate sections shall constitute side sill structure between the door posts of the cars and reinforcements for the end side sill sections beyond the door posts.

A further object is to provide side sill structure for railway cars which shall serve as supports for the floor boards of the cars and make itpossible to utilize floor boards of the same length from end to end of the cars.

A further object is to provide side sill structure for railway cars which shall effect a substantial saving in weight.

A further object is to provide sid sill structure for railway cars which shall function as a threshold plate in the door openings of the cars.

Other objects of the invention will become clear as the description thereof proceeds.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a railway car embodying the instant invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 1.

2 Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on line 6--6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section taken on line 88 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 7.

To illustrate the invention two forms thereof are shown embodied in Side walls for railway cars. These side walls embody the usual front and rear door posts It and l i, intermediate posts I2 and metallic sheathing l3 secured to the intermediate and door posts. The spacing of the door posts It and H determine the width of the door opening [4 formed in the side wall. The drawings also show cross bearers I5 and I6 lying adjacent to the door posts it and II and cross bearers I! and is which constitute part of the underframe customarily employed in railway car construction.

A side sill in which the instant invention is embodied is utilized in the side wall construction described above. The side sill embodies an intermediate section I9 which extends across the door opening and for a substantial distance beyond the door posts it and II, and end sections 20 and 2i. The intermediate section l9 embodies an outer vertical flange 22, a flange 23 extending inwardly from the lower edge of flange 22 and lying below the cross bearers. A substantially horizontal flange 24 extends inwardly from the upper edge of the vertical flange 22 in spaced relationship to the cross bearers. A substantially vertical flange 25 extends downwardly from the inner edge of the horizontal flange 24 and the flange 25 is bent inwardly so as to provide a substantially horizontal flange 26 which is adapted to lie upon and be secured to the cross bearers. The vertical flange 22 of the intermediate section is abutted by the ends of the cross bearers which are adapted to be secured thereto as by means of riveting. It will be apparent from Fig. 3 of the drawings that the association between th intermediate section and the cross bearers is such as to provide a box section 27 the extent of which adjacent to the door posts is increased by means of cover plates 28. It will be apparent from the foregoing description and the showing of Fig. 3 of the drawings that the intermediate section of the side sill provides in effect an outer flange 22 and an inwardly extending substantially Z-shaped portion formed by the flanges 24, 25 and 26.

The end section 20 of the side sill extends from the said door post l0 substantially to the adjacent end of the car. The end section 26 comprises essentially an outer vertical upstanding flange 29 to which the metallic sheathing is secured as by means of riveting. A substantially horizontal flange 30 extends inwardly from the lower edge of flange 29. A flange 3i extends downwardly substantially vertically from the inner edge of flange 30 and a substantially horizontal flange 32 extends inwardly from the lower edge of flange 3|. In effect the end section 20 embodies a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending inwardly therefrom and formed by the flanges 30, 3| and 32.

The end section 2! of the side sill extends from the rear door post i! substantially to the adjacent end of the car and its structure is substantially the same as that of end section 29 so that it embodies an upstanding flange 33 similar to flange 29, an inwardly extending flange 34 similar to flange 38, a downwardly extending flange 35 similar to flange 3| and an inwardly extending flange 36 similar to flange 32.

The intermediate and end sections of the side sill are assembled together so that the vertical flanges 22, 29 and 33 are preferably in alinement and the substantially Z-shaped portions of each of these sections are nested as shown more clearly in Fig. of the drawings. The end sections are secured to the intermediate section as by means of rivets. The door posts which terminate above flange 25, of the intermediate section are secured to the overlapping portions of the intermediate and end sections by means of gussets 3? and 38. The gusset 31' is formed with a flange 3B which abuts and is secured to the inwardly extending flange 48 of the door post it as by means of rivets. The gusset 3? is also formed with a flange H which is secured to the flange d2 of the door post and to the vertical flange 2B or" the end section 2% as by means of rivets. The gusset 3? also embodies an inwardly extending horizontal flange 43 which is cut away as indicated at li and 35 in order to avoid interference with flange 565 of the door post. Beyond the flange 46 of the door post flange 43 of the gusset 3'? is bent downwardly to provide a vertical flange ll which preferably abuts the vertical flange 25 of the intermediate side sill section. For this purpose a portion of flange 3G and flan es 3i and 32 of the end section 28 are removed as indicated at 48 and 19. The overlapping flanges 24, 36 and 43 are secured together as by means of rivets.

Beyond the end of the gusset 31 and extending to the adjacent end of the intermediate side sill section i8 only a portion of the flange 3i and the flange S2 of the end section 28 are removed as indicated at 58. Beyond the said end of the intermediate section the flanges 3i and 32 are retained in their entirety as is clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings so that flange 32 constitutes in effect an extension of flange 25 of the intermediate side sill section and lies substantially in the same plane as flange 26. There is thus provided a substantially continuous flange which forms a support for the floor boards 5| of the car and which permits all of the floor boards to be cut to the same length. Also flange 3! of end section 2% lies in substantially the same plane as flange ll of the gusset 31 as is clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings.

The gusset 38 is of substantially similar construction to the gusset 31 and is associated with the door post H, the intermediate side sill section is and the end side sill section 2| in substantially the same manner as guesst 31 is associated with door post Hi, the intermediate side sill and end sill section 20. The gusset 38 accordingly embodies a flange 52 secured to the door post H and to the upstanding flange 33 of end section 2!, a flange 53 secured to door post ii and a flange 54 secured to the overlapping flanges 24 and 34 of the intermediate and end sill sections.

Since the end section 2! is similar in construction to the end section 28 the former is associated with the portion of the intermediate sill section beyond the door post I l in the same manher as the end section 28 is associated with the adjacent portion of the intermediate section so that flanges 35 and 4'? lie substantially in the same plane and flanges 26 and 3% lie in substantially the same plane. Therefore all the floor boards throughout the length of the car may be of the same length.

A threshold angle 55 reinforced by means of plates 58 is secured as by means of welding to the intermediate section 19 in the door opening 14 as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

Beyond the door posts it and H the side sill structure illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9, inclusive, embodies the same construction as the side sill structure hereinabove described and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings. At the door posts the intermediate section has portions 57 and 58 of progressively increasing width and a portion 59 between the portions 51 and 58 of uniform width equal to the greatest width of the portions 5'! and 58. This construction results in a substantially horizontal flange 6Q wider than flange 2i and projecting outwardly beyond the door posts within the door opening so that it serves as a threshold plate. By reason of this construction also the outer vertical flange of the intermediate section between the door posts extends outwardly beyond the door posts and embodies a substantially vertical flange El and an inwardly sloping flange 62. The intermediate sill section maintains flanges E53, 64 and 65 similar to the flanges 23, 25 and 26 of the intermediate side. sill section 22. Moreover, the intermediate sill section in the considered embodiment of the invention also provides box sections such as 88 adjacent to the door posts and similar to the box sections such as 21.

In order to close the opening which would otherwise exist by reason of the sloping portions 5? and 58, angular clips 6'! and 68 are secured thereto as by means of welding. These clips are similar in construction and embody an upper horizontal flange 69 lying in the same plane as flange 6B of the intermediate section and angularly related vertical flanges l8 and H, the latter of which provides an extension of the flange iii of the intermediate section. The angular clips 61 and 68 extend downwardly to the upper surface of a door track 72 secured as by means of welding directly to the outwardly projecting portion of the intermediate section. The door track 22 follows the sloping portions 51 and 58 as indicated at 13 and is cut away between sloping portions 51 and 58 as indicated at 14 so as to bear against the flange 81. This construction is clearly illustrated in Fig. 9 of the drawings.

It will be apparent that numerous changes and modifications in the details of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art. It is intended, therefore, that all such modifications and changes be comprehended within this invention '5 which is to be limited only by the scope-of the claims appended hereto.

I claim;

1. A sectional side sill for railway box cars having side walls each embodying spaced door posts defining a door opening, said side sill comprising an intermediate section and end sections, said intermediate section having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the upper edge of said flange, each of said end sections having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the lower edge of said latter flange, said intermediate section being of greater length than the spacing between the door posts so as to extend beyond the door posts, said end sections being seated upon and extending beyond the respective ends of said intermediate section so that each end section will extend substantially from a door post'to the adjacent end of the car, said substantially Z-shaped portions of said intermediate and end sections having nested relationship, and means securing said end sections to said intermediate section, said substantially z-shaped portion of said intermediate section being sloped to provide parts of progressively iincreasing width between and adjacent to said end sections, said substantially Z-shaped portion between said slopes being of uniform and increased width.

2. A sectional side sill for railway cars comprising an intermediate section and end sections, said intermediate section having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the upper edge of said flange, each of said end sections having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the lower edge of said latter flange, said end sections being seated in spaced relationship upon and extending beyond the respective ends of said intermediate section with the substantially Z-shaped portions of said sections in nested relationship, means securing said end sections to said intermediate section, said substantially Z-shaped portion of said intermediate section being sloped to provide parts of progressively increasing width between and adjacent to said end sections, and substantially triangularly shaped pieces secured to said slopes to provide a uniform width of intermediate section between said end sections.

3. A sectional side sill for railway box cars having side walls each embodying spaced door posts defining a door opening, said side sill consistin of an intermediate section and end sections, said intermediate section having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the upper edge of said flange, each of said end sections having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the lower edge of said latter flange, said intermediate section being oi greater length than the spacing between the door posts so as to extend beyond the door posts but terminating a substantial distance from the ends of the car, said end sections being seated upon and extending beyond the respective ends of said intermediate section so that each end section will extend substantially from a door post to the adjacent end of the car, said substantially Z-shaped portions of said intermediate and end sections having nested relationship, and means securing said end sections to said intermediate section.

4. A sectional side sill for railway box cars having side Walls each embodying spaced door posts defining a door opening, said side sill consisting of an intermediate section and end sections, said intermediate section having'a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the upper edge of said flange, each of said end sections having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the lower edge of said latter flange, said intermediate section being of greater length than the spacing between the door posts so as to extend beyond the door posts but terminating a substantial distance from the ends of the car, said end sections being seated upon and extending beyond the respective ends of said intermediate section so that each end section will extend substantially from a door post to the adjacent end of the car, said substantially Z-shaped portions of said intermediate and end sections having nested relationship, and means securing said end sections to said intermediate section, each of said Z-shaped portions having upper and lower horizontal flanges and a vertical web, the said lower horizontal flanges of said substantially Z-shaped portions of said end sections from said door posts to the ends of said intermediate section being removed, said latter lower horizontal flanges extending from the ends of said intermediate section to the ends of the car in alinement with said lower horizontal flange of said intermediate section.

5. A construction for railway box cars comprising a side wall embodying spaced door posts defining a door opening, a sectional side sill consisting of an intermediate section and end sections, said intermediate section having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the upper edge of said flange, each of said end sections having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the lower edge of said latter flange, said intermediate section being of greater length than the spacing between the door posts and extending beyond the door posts but terminating a substantial distance from the ends of the car, said end sections being seated upon and extending beyond the respective ends of said intermediate section so that each end section extends substantially from a door post to the adjacent end of the car, each of said Z-shaped portions having upper and lower horizontal flanges and a vertical web, said upper horizontal flanges of said end sections being seated upon said upper horizontal flange of said intermediate section and said webs of said end sections abutting said web of said intermediate section, and gussets securing said door posts to said side sill, each of said gussets having a horizontal flange seated upon said upper horizontal flange of a said end sill section and a vertical flange depending from said horizontal gusset flange, said Web of each of said end sill sections being removed for a portion of its length and. said depending flanges of said gussets being disposed in the space provided by such removal and in alinement with the remainder of said webs of said end sill sections.

6. A construction for railway box cars comprisin a side wall embodying spaced door posts defining a door opening, a sectional side sill consisting of an intermediate section and end sections, said intermediate section having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the upper edge of said flange, each of said end sections having a vertical flange and a substantially Z-shaped portion extending from the lower edge or" said latter flange, said intermediate section being of greater length than the spacing between the door posts and extending beyond the door posts but terminating a substantial distance from the ends of the car, said end sections being seated upon and extending beyond the respective ends of said intermediate section so that each end section extends substantially from a door post to the adjacent end of the car, each of said Z-shaped portions having upper and lower horizontal flanges and a vertical web, said upper horizontal flanges of said end sections being seated upon said upper horizontal flange of said intermediate section and said webs of said end sections abutting said web of said intermediate section, and gussets securing said door posts to said side sill, each of said gussets having a horizontal flange seated upon said upper horizontal flange of a said end sill section and a vertical flange depending from said horizontal gusset flange, said web of each of said end sill sections being removed for a portion of its length and said depending flanges of said gussets being disposed in the space provided by such removal and in alinement with the remainder of said webs of said end sill sections, said lower horizontal flanges of said substantially Z-shaped portions of said end sections from said door posts to the ends of said intermediate section being removed, said latt-er lower horizontal flanges extending from the ends of said intermediate section to the ends of the car in alinement with said lower horizontal flange of said intermediate section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,207,361 Thompson July 9, 1940 2,311,188 Nystrom Feb. 16, 1943 2,429,182 Doke Oct. 14, 1947 2,543,402 Doke Feb. 27, 1951 

